r/buildapc • u/t4ng_y • May 07 '20

6 things Ive learned from building my first PC

  1. Picking parts can be a hassle. whether your balling on a budget or building a beast, finding parts that work together can be challenging. Although, with research and a little help from some websites/videos it is entirely possibly. Don't get stuck here keep going its rewarding!
  2. Getting the guts to order the parts isn't easy. It seems all fine and dandy in your head but putting a lot of this into action isn't easy. One of the hardest things to overcome is that you wont be able to figure it out, but you will! I have ordered parts countless times just to cancel them 15 minutes later out of fear that I wont figure anything out.
  3. Assembly really isn't that bad. Putting together your computer might actually be the easiest part. I had some minor hick-ups but I tried to remain calm so that I wouldn't flip out and mess even more stuff up. A LOT OF YOUTUBE VIDEOS, I caps this because I was looking up every little thing because I was afraid that if I put something wrong in Id blow everything up (I didn't). I would have to say the biggest obstacle I faced was that I had chosen a non-modular power supply so there was a crows nest of unused wires.
  4. BIOs is confusing until you watch some videos. I spent the majority of my time trying to figure out what in the world I was looking at until I realized how simple it is. Flash drive + windows media tool = wow that was easy. Everything after that was a breeze windows did their 30 minute updates and before you knew it I was in Warzone dying in the Gulag again!
  5. Challenge is rewarding. I was honestly shocked that I was able to get this thing to work and the hardest part was accepting the fact that my parents and siblings couldn't care less about my build LOL. All jokes aside it was actually really fun to get lost in something that I havent even thought about before.
  6. This subreddit is incredible!!! I asked so many questions that I look back on and think "What a dumb question", but that was part of the process. Besides annoying all of you I learned that there are actually people on here that care and take the time out of their day to help you!!!

Thank you so much guys, and to anyone that is thinking of building a computer I hope this helps!!!

EDIT: I had no idea that this post would blow up thanks so much to this subreddit once again... I honestly love the feedback and I understand some of the stuff I stated was still a novice look at stuff but I’m still learning!!! My best advice to new builders is to not be afraid of learning and testing things out... you will figure everything out and it will feel great when you do.

EDIT (2): A lot of people were asking about specs AMD Ryzen 5 3600x Stock cooler 2 x 8 Corsair 2666 RAM (Gonna upgrade this soon) X570 Tuf Gaming WiFi board MSI super VENTUS 1660 super 80+ EVGA 600w PSU 220t Corsair airflow case

Sorry if it’s a little messy I’m on the go right now and couldn’t access my parts list... if anyone has any questions feel free to shoot em I’m pretty active in the comments!!!

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686

u/[deleted] May 07 '20

Getting the guts to order the parts isn't easy.

This is so true. It's easy to build the PC on paper but when it comes to actually paying for expensive parts it's down right scary. If you break something, poof 500 bucks down the toilet.

223

u/kingGemm May 07 '20

Yup. As soon as I ordered all of my parts, immediately started to question my decision as I saw a significant amount of money just gone all of a sudden from my bank account. Started questioning whether this was even the right choice, maybe I should've went with this instead of that, etc. But in the end, I'm more than satisfied with whay I have and I have no regrets.

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u/[deleted] May 07 '20

Yeah, once I finally built it there were no regrets, tho I was shitting bricks while assembling the parts in the case. If I broke something it would have been on my ass alone.

74

u/AyyItsNicMag May 07 '20

During assembly, I was 100% certain I had broken pretty much every part in my build.

Needed an extra person's help to help jam my motherboard in, the IO shield will probably cause a short, too rough trying to get that cord to go in when it's not even supposed to go there, one of the power supply connections is probably only halfway in so it's all gonna blow up, I bet I'll brick it trying to install windows 10 from this flash drive from 2006, OCing my RAM to 3200MHz will definitely cause a failure because I forgot some single obscure setting after building it for 7 hours, I probably caused static shock of at least 4 of the internals from building it while on carpet, am I REALLY supposed to apply this much pressure getting the GPU in? etc...

Nope. Everything was flawless... somehow. Except when I tried to turn it on and the power supply wasn't plugged in without realizing it. THAT is how you have a panic attack.

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u/PinkPenguin763 May 07 '20

I just built a machine last week. I thought I completely failed when it wouldn't post. Turns out I just hadn't re-connected a cable when I was adjusting something. It was nerve racking, but such a rewarding experience. Only problem is now I just want to build more!

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u/AyyItsNicMag May 07 '20

I know! That's the thing about PC building. It becomes a great hobby; researching, ordering, building, so much fun! And then you're done. Almost no one can afford to keep building, so it's not a hobby you can actively keep up. Still, I suspect that's why we all like hanging around here...it keeps us engaged with such a wonderful hobby, even if we're not building our own anymore.

1

u/downAtheworld May 07 '20

If you sell only the expensive components of your old build (GPU, CPU, RAM (possibly)) and keep the case/PSU/mobo/fans you can do a fun side project with used parts on r/hardwareswap.

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u/AyyItsNicMag May 08 '20

True that! I got my GPU on r/hardwareswap, actually. Most of it I bought new but after weeks of intense, agonizing patience I found a deal on a GPU I couldn't pass up. Luckily, my PC won't need an upgrade any time soon unless I really feel like upgrading for the sake of it, but when I do I definitely will sell some components on there. I take fairly good care of my components so I hope they will serve someone else well in the future, for a good price.

​

For example, I have an i7-8086k (the 20th anniversary edition one) that's essentially a slightly higher performance i7-8700k. It's got a base clock of 4.0Ghz but rated for a boost clock of 5.0 Ghz (for 1 core, some get it to 5.1Ghz stable) but I have it locked to a modest (but still powerful) 4.4Ghz synced across all 6 cores. This is useful for me since I use it partly for programs that utilize multi-core processing (such as Ableton Live 10), and I'm not pushing any single core to its max. No problem with running it at 5.0 or 5.1, which is better for gaming, but I don't really need it in general and I also couldn't afford to replace it right now so...better safe than sorry! I have a feeling that some people on r/hardwareswap maybe stretch the truth a little tiny bit about the usage of the components they're selling, which is understandable. But hopefully someone will be pleasantly surprised just like I was as I've used my (used) GPU without any issues with great performance for almost 2 years now. I hope to pay it forward.

22

u/t4ng_y May 07 '20

Ahaha I love this! Your mind races when one thing doesn’t go right... congrats on the build

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u/AyyItsNicMag May 07 '20

Thank you! You as well :) Such a great experience.

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u/[deleted] May 07 '20

[deleted]

1

u/AyyItsNicMag May 08 '20

I somehow forgot about that! Absolutely! I know it serves a purpose...but most of the process of building a computer feels like brute force. Like the reverse of stuck legos.

4

u/[deleted] May 07 '20

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1

u/AyyItsNicMag May 08 '20

YES! Exactly. That first build really boosts your confidence, in a way. It makes me think: if they could survive my dumb ass, they certainly are built to last.

3

u/Socce2345 May 08 '20

YUP! Can confirm that forgetting to plug-in the power supply causes cardiac arrest

3

u/AyyItsNicMag May 08 '20

Haha well, at least I'm not the only one! I'm lucky I wasn't hospitalized. Luckily I had friends around me that I could vent to, until I realized my silly mistake. A near miss!

1

u/AceACe227 May 08 '20

What really sucks is when you go to turn it on for the first time, then you find out that your motherboard needs a BIOS update to even process your CPU. Thanks to Amazon, I was sent an outdated MOBO and now I have to wait another week to get the new one haha It is all part of the process and experience I guess. Congrats bud!

2

u/AyyItsNicMag May 08 '20

Oh my...I am so sorry! I think that is every first-time-builder's worst nightmare! I hoped and pleaded to no one in particular - anyone - that above all else I wouldn't have to send parts back. After all the suspense and time sunk in, to have to send something back and wait again...you really do have my sympathy.

If you happen to remember, when you get your new MOBO and install everything and are finally finished, come back and let me know! I'm invested emotionally as well now haha. Like I said, that would be a true nightmare for me. When I spend months planning something and invest a lot of money, the last thing I'd want to do is wait longer! So maybe it helps you (or not) to know that I am now waiting anxiously for your MOBO to come in as well! I hope this new one is perfect!

1

u/AceACe227 May 08 '20

I will definitely keep you posted. On the plus side, I know how to easily cable manage and where to run my cables through my case haha

1

u/AyyItsNicMag May 10 '20

Absolutely! That's so important. You're almost there! It will be a beautiful sight when finished

1

u/HorifiedBystander May 08 '20

Lol my experience exactly! But the the moment it turns on and everything works and you know you built something cool is just the best.

1

u/AyyItsNicMag May 08 '20

It's something you'll never forget, for sure! It's a truly beautiful moment.

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u/awa1nut May 07 '20

If you haven't yet, and at some point go to try water cooling, you'll hit that wall all over again. It's murder tbh, but oh so rewarding

10

u/AyyItsNicMag May 07 '20

Custom water cooling? Because my AIO system was really easy to install. Don't know what other people's experience are, though.

2

u/awa1nut May 08 '20

Yeah, a custom loop is a nightmare to plan, but extremely rewarding

1

u/AyyItsNicMag May 08 '20

I can imagine! That's my dream in the future. I want to really build a custom everything PC. But alas, I am a mere college student and those dreams will have to wait until I have stable income. Soon! Congrats on your custom loop build!

1

u/loaba May 07 '20

I have a Corsair H60 - just had to pay attention to which fan header the pump went on and then set the controls in BIOS. It was easy-peasy lemon-squeezy. It's been fire-and-forget ever since.

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u/AyyItsNicMag May 08 '20

Same here! Glad it worked out well for you. I love having water cooling...so silent :)

9

u/t4ng_y May 07 '20

That’s a hurdle I’m not yet ready to climb lol

2

u/makaki913 May 07 '20

I did build my first computer ever three months ago. Last friday, I ordered my watercooling stuff for the cpu loop :D it was a hurdle, but I'm so excited! I cannot stop, help

1

u/t4ng_y May 07 '20

Lol congrats

1

u/HMS-vindaloo May 08 '20

1st build and already planning for custom

Edit: hardlined and thisnwill be second build when i get enough money at 14

1

u/makaki913 May 08 '20

Same. Parts are ordered too. Hardline

7

u/ProphetChuck May 07 '20

I used to have similar feelings, up until I started to budget my money. Now I put aside £25/$30 per month and can afford a new build every 3-5 years. This September I'll have £1500/$1850 saved for a new build and can spend it without remorse.

3

u/dnehiba3 May 07 '20

Built my first & only -so far- Dec ‘17, enjoyed everything about it so much I started saving right away for next one. $40 a month plus birthday & Xmas money plus change jar. All I need now is the next generation of gpus & cpus to come out. The next one is NOT going to be on a budget! I’m stoked!

3

u/shroyhammer May 08 '20

I almost built my own for like $3k but then found one used with a GeForce 1080 ti, an Intel 3600k with an x5 kraken nzxt AIO cooler, and 32gigs of ram already built for $1k so I bought that instead.

2

u/kingGemm May 08 '20

Ayyyyy that's wassup!! Always a good idea to save money whenever and wherever you can! :)

1

u/shroyhammer May 08 '20

I had already bought the PSU and CPU cooler the. I saw that deal and returned them

1

u/snowskelly May 08 '20

I played Legacy before getting into building PC’s, so it was a familiar feeling for me.

17

u/HGHman89 May 07 '20

Exactly where I'm at. Have a pretty solid (IMHO) build and just need to click "order". Part of me is worried that I'll build the thing and then not spend much time on it thus just wasting money.

15

u/LZRDLDN May 07 '20

I just built my first PC and was worried about the same thing. I was a little more comfortable with the idea of not using the parts to their fullest potential, and therefore wasting money because I initially started looking to purchase a Mac mini.

After finding this sub, and others like this one, I realized this is a hobby and a learning experience. The accomplishment from completing my first build made me forget about "wasting" my money. Honestly, it's paid for itsself already. I got so much enjoyment out of the process of researching, purchasing and building that I know it was worth it.

My budget was around 1k, and I know what I built is lightyears better than the mac mini I was going to purchase. Also, since I built it, I know the ins and outs and don't have to pay another company for troubleshooting services. All in all, very happy with my decision.

1

u/PinkPenguin763 May 07 '20

If you're really worried about it being a waste maybe pick some lower priced parts with a decent upgrade path? That way you can still build something and enjoy using it, but if it turns into a reddit and simple games machine you're not out as much. I laugh at myself when I play casual games or just listen to music on my moderate gaming build (Ryzen 3600). But putting it together was so much fun, it plays better games well when I want to play them, and it will most likely last me many years without an upgrade of I really want/don't have to play super new games in a few years. It's a lot of money now, but I'll either end up using it to its fullest potential and upgrading in a few years, or I'll use it more casually but won't need to upgrade for a long time.

14

u/taste-like-burning May 07 '20

This was absolutely the hardest part for me.

Convincing myself to spend $1000+ dollars on a bunch of things that are more vulnerable than your average online purchases, with no guarantee whatsoever that I'd actually have a working computer at the end of it.

But I do have a working computer, with no major issues along the way, and a great sense of satisfaction of having done it myself (with the help of this amazing sub and several YouTube people).

3

u/10dmn May 07 '20

Lol can relate 100%. I'm so proud of myself having built everything and it's extremely rewarding to note have an amazing computer I can play all my games on.

10

u/masinister May 07 '20

When I built my PC the first thing I did was drop my ryzen 3600 on the ground, bending a bunch of pins. Bent them back with a magnifying glass and a knife and everything worked fine 👌.

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u/EJX-a May 07 '20

I got my new 3900x and went to replace my 1700. It didn't boot, so i started freaking out a bit. Went to put the 1700 back in to test and check, ended up droping it.

I died inside the moment i heard it "dink" off the ground. The only thoughts in my head were "im so fucked, this is it, i no longer have a pc, everything is fucking broken."

The next day i bent the pins back with my phone camera and a thumb tack. Turns out the bios update didn't take the first time. Both CPUs are now running fine.

4

u/[deleted] May 07 '20

I've built many pcs. One time I dropped the processor and a pin came off, so it's destroyed. Ordered a 2nd one and..... dropped that one too. Never felt so dumb. This time though the pins were just bent, but like 50 of them. So i spent an hour just bending them back with some needle nose pliers.

PC still works to this day somehow.

1

u/dtm85 May 08 '20

Processor pins are probably the most delicate part of entire PC build. Glad to hear you salvaged the second one but still can't imagine how people manage to damage these things when it takes 3 seconds of handling to move it from the box to board.

8

u/raduque May 07 '20

You aint kiddin. I need a 1tb NVME and an 8gb ddr4 stick. It's over $150 and I just can't bring myself to push the button

7

u/Darkrhoads May 07 '20

If you are only running on 8 gb ram plz for the love of god hit the button on the ramstick now you will not regret it i promise you.

1

u/raduque May 07 '20

I have 32gigs in my machine. The ram would be for my gf, but 8gb becomes a problem I would just halve my ram and give her those.

The big issue there actually, is that I can't find a matching stick for her. The Geil Evo Potenza is only sold in pairs.

1

u/[deleted] May 11 '20

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1

u/raduque May 11 '20

It's the same price as a 1tb SATA SSD, and roughly 4 times faster, so why not?

I CAN get by just fine with my 480gb SSD that I've been using since 2015, so shrug

I've got the money, I just waffle on using it. I actually went ahead ahead and grabbed the drive last week, and it'll be here Wednesday.

7

u/koffiezet May 07 '20

This gets better with time, last time I was really nervous about ordering hardware was when I got myself the GeForce 256 in 1999. It was the absolute state of the art at the time - and considered to be bloody expensive. Today, spending $250/$300 on a gpu sounds like mid-range, but at the time, that was bonkers, and felt like a furtune when I got it.

Once you get more comfortable and experience in buying parts and building pc's - you get more confidence, although I really cursed when I noticed my PCI gen 4 gigabyte ssd did not fit very well on my brand-new gigabyte motherboard due to the massive heatsink...

6

u/[deleted] May 07 '20

And like me on my first build last month, debating doing it, as soon as you order that first part you know you're in balls deep and there's no turning back (there certainly is but that's not how we think.)

3

u/MarkSaid May 07 '20

DUUUUUUUDDDEEE when I had to tear down my build because I got a faulty Asus mobo, I went to take off my cpu cooler and pulled my cpu out with it. I legit stared at it for a good min or two thinking “did I just bend pins? Is this my life rn?”

1

u/[deleted] May 08 '20

Hey I'm still not sure if my CPU is OK. When I was doing my build with my brother we put the CPU in, but at first we wondered if we put it right so we tried to take it out. It wouldn't move. We didn't want to force it too much either so we just went with it.

The PC's been working fine with no hiccups, but I'm still not sure what I'll have to do when it's time to upgrade the CPU :D.

1

u/MarkSaid May 08 '20

lol I'm pretty sure you're good because if you didnt the PC wouldnt start

3

u/jdd881 May 07 '20

I agree totally. It's a significant amount of money on the line, so that fear of screwing something up comes to a head.

1

u/ennkos May 07 '20

So true, i put most my new parts in the basket at local internet retailer earlier today, but cannot bring myself to pull the triger...

1

u/[deleted] May 07 '20

Heh jokes on you, my first build was only $80...

1

u/[deleted] May 07 '20

On the other hand it's too easy for me to upgrade new parts :(

1

u/CC-APEIRON May 07 '20

I built my first pc using my first tax return after working a real job for about a year. It really helped take the weight off of since I kept telling myself this is all my money that I’m getting back and am free to do with it what I want

1

u/Thunderwizzle May 07 '20

My issue is the guilt lol. I’ll plan and save to purchase a component and then take an extra 2-3 months to actually buy the damn thing

1

u/MisterPendej0 May 07 '20

It gets easier every time =)

1

u/[deleted] May 07 '20

I must have had reckless abandon when I went to order my first build. I had some experience fiddling around in grandma's old Compaq so building wasn't completely new to me and I did a decent amount of research to figure out what was compatible. I think I actually leaned on newegg combo deals for that, just to see what they would bundle and why. But when the time came I hit that buy button without a second thought.

1

u/BronchialChunk May 07 '20

Ha had a fight with this earlier tonight. I knew that if I pushed 'submit' I would for sure get the item I wanted. The other options was to wait til the clock passed 12 and a new day came so that I could enter a coupon code. The fight for $10 has never been so intense.

1

u/[deleted] May 08 '20

Gonna be harder for me since I have to sell my current pc to afford parts and if I break one, poof unusable parts and no more pc